Flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus



FLAPPED CARTON CLOSURE AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1967 D. WAINBERG July 29, 1969 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVENT R FLAPPBD CARTON CLOSURE AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1967 D. WAINBERG July 29, 1969 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR PLAPPED CARTON CLOSURE AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1957 D. WAINBERG July 29, 1969 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 wwm FLAPPED CARTON CLOSURE AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1967- D. WAINBERG July 29, 1969 7 Sheets-Sheet L NVE NTOR WJ C Jul 29, 1969 D. WMNBERG' 3,457,701

PLAPPED CARTON CLOSURE AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR 7 July '29, 1969 o. WAINBERG 3,457,701

FLAPPED CARTON CLOSURE AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed July 24. 19s? 7 Sheets-Sheet e NVENTOR wwm July 29, 1969 p, E G 3,457,701

FLAPPED CARTON CLOSURE AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed July 24, 1967 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR United States Patent US. Cl. 53376 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention refers to flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus, in which a vertically arranged rotatable carrier constitutes a means for supporting a plurality of closure and sealing members in such a way that they will be in alignment with the longitudinal axis of a carton conveyor and continuously moved by the carrier in a circular path on a vertical plane, while maintaining their positions in a horizontal plane, for seizing the cartons which are being continuously moved in a horizontal plane for keeping the adhesive joints formed between the flaps and the adjacent upright walls of the cartons in a tight and setting abutment therewith for the purpose of closing and sealing the cartons, and then discharging the same to a carton feed outlet, all being performed in a continuous and uninterrupted operation.

The invention relates to improvements in a flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus as described in the present specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings that form a part of the same.

The invention consists essentially in the novel features of construction as pointed out broadly and specifically in the claims for novelty following a description containing an explanation in detail of acceptable forms of the invention.

In the past, various types of carton closure and sealing devices have been used for closing and sealing cartons by the application of adhesive to articulating flaps or other portions of the carton body, and providing means for the folding of the lids and flaps of the cartons for tight adhesive abutment with the upright walls of the cartons for closing the same and sealing such closures. This has been generally accomplished by moving the filled cartons, that are to be closed and sealed, into combined heating and pressure chambers, Where adhesive is applied to selected parts of the carton, and movable pressure elements are brought into operation for effecting compression to the walls and flaps of the cartons and to set the adhesive sufficiently to form a bond to hold the flaps down and to keep the carton lids in their closed positions. This operation necessitates lapses of certain length of time to allow the bonding together of the lid or cover flaps and the upright Walls of the carton before the compression applied thereto by the movable plates or other pressure elements may be pulled away from the carton or cartons under pressure. 7

Such operational methods, although practical to a certain extent, are not sufiiciently efiicient for their purpose,

as it has been found diffcult to maintain any rapid speed V 3,457,701 Patented July 29, 1969 "ice give time for the setting of the adhesive joints of the cartons, thus interrupting the possibility of any continuous flow of the packaged goodsto the delivery end of the packaging system. Furthermore the cartons travelling along the conveyor, closing and sealing mechanisms are subjected to periods of compression interrupted by periods of pressure relief, again slowing up the running operation of the mechanisms with the resultant reduction to the volume of the output of closed and sealed cartons.

It is therefore the purpose of this invention to eliminate such and other objectionable features that have been found in former carton closing and sealing mechanisms, such as avoiding the need of any interruption of operational runs of the mechanism, the removal of any intermittent delays in the closing and sealing of the cartons and ensuring a continuous operational performance of the apparatus, increasing the volume output and reducing the space areas that are ordinarily required for the installations of such mechanisms, as well as other features that will be discernible in the description together with the accompanying drawings.

Among the objects of the invention is to devise a flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus that will be provided with means for engaging the cartons as they enter into the feed inlet passageway and ride such cartons through the apparatus, while they are being closed and sealed during a continuous operational performance, and thence to the carton feed outlet passageway Where the completely closed and sealed cartons are released.

Another object of the invention is to construct a closure and sealing apparatus for cartons that will be sturdily built and capable of being operated at great speeds for the handling of hundreds of cartons per minute and of varying sizes, and which will permit the handling of cartons on a straight-line machine without having to be turned or pivoted, as Well as being capable of handling either a hooded style or straight 3-flap seal and which is operated in such a way that it will be practically impossible to have the cover of a sealed carton to be out of line from the bottom.

A still further object of the invention is to devise a closure and sealing apparatus that may be continuously operated and which will complete the entire closing and sealing operation, and in which all of the mechanisms for performing the closing and sealing steps of the carton may be confined within a housing of a relatively small dimension, and thereby materially reduce the size of the area that would ordinarily be required, particularly where a series of machines are being used.

A further object of the invention is to construct a closure and sealing apparatus that will be admirably suited for the handling, closing and sealing of cartons made from comparatively low grades of paperboard having low resiliency and incapable of withstanding too much exterior pressure during the closing and sealing of the same.

A further object of the invention is to provide operative elements of the apparatus with means whereby the carton-sealing effecting mechanisms may be adjusted to accommodate the apparatus for the handling of cartons of varying sizes and that may be operated optionally and selectively to accommodate cartons of a variety of closure characteristics.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus and showing the carton feed inlet passageway and the carton feed outlet passageway leading into and out of the apparatus.

sure and sealing apparatus having one wall of the housing of the apparatus removed to disclose the operating chain mechanism engaging with the rotatable carrier.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the carrier as mounted within the housing and illustrating the sprocket and chain belt mechanism engaging with the fixed and rotatable transverse shafts journalled in the carrier.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view of the carton conveyor illustrating an acceptable means for adjusting the height of the longitudinal'carton supporting wall or bed thereof.

FIGURE 5 is aside fragmentary view of the housing for the apparatus having one wall re'movedto' illustrate the rotatable carrier supporting a multiple of carton setting frames, which are journalled thereto and connected to one another by a chain and sprocket mechanism.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective diagrammatic view showing the connections of the gear and chain mechanisms for actuating the various operations of the fiapped carton closure and sealing apparatus.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the apparatus in partly diagrammatic form and illustrating the carton setting frames engaging with the cartons being moved through the carton feed inlet passageway.

FIGURE 8 is an end fragmentary diagrammatic view of the apparatus to illustrate the various positions of a carton setting frame as it removes the cartons from the carton feed inlet passageway and releases and discharges the same at the carton feed outlet passageway.

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the carton setting frames mounted to the carrier and being brought into alignment with the carton feed outlet passageway for the ejection of a closed and sealed carton.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view of the carton conveyor illustrating an acceptable means for making the carton height adjustments through raising and lowering the bottom wall or bed of the carton conveyor.

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective detail of an acceptable type of adhesive reservoir and applicator as used in the closure and sealing apparatus.

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the carton conveyor illustrating an acceptable means of folding the hinged covers of the cartons transversely across the open tops of the cartons.

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating a section of the carton trackway provided with a riser wall adapted to be engaged by the carton setting frames of the rotatable carrier.

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating a carton setting frame, as shown in FIG- URE l3, embracing a closed carton and moving the same along the trackway while setting the glued portions of the carton. v

FIGURE 15 is a partly diagrammatic fragmentary longitudinal sectional view illustrating a carton setting frame about to pounce upon a carton and thereafter, in its en-- gagement position therewith, moving the carton towards the feed outlet passageway.

FIGURE 16 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating an alternate method of ejecting the sealed carton from the apparatus in a lateral direction to the axis of rotation of the carrier for the carton setting frames.

FIGURE 17 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view in which the sealed cartons are ejected from the apparatus in a longitudinal direction with the axis of rotational direction of the carrier for the frames.

FIGURE 18 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the frame carrier and illuscarton setting trating the various positions of a carton setting frame that is joumalled thereto and setting the carton and ejecting the same, as shown in FIGURE 17.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures.

Referring to the drawings, the fiapped carton closure and sealing apparatus consists of a housing, as indicated by the numeral 25 supported on or forming an integral part of the standards 26 and having a carton feed inlet passageway and a carton feed outlet passageway 28. A carton conveyor 29 is connected to the housing through the carton feed inlet passageway 27 and may pass therethrough so that the housing will straddle the carton conveyor. The conveyor 29 is adapted to move the cartons in succession along a horizontal path to and through the carton feed inlet passageway 27 while folding means 30 cause the hinged lids of the cartons to overlie the bodies thereof. An adhesive reservoir 31 and adhesive applicator means 32 are situated adjacent to or in the carton feed inlet passageway 27 and are adapted to apply adhesive to the flaps and/or the upright walls of each carton as it passes through the carton feed inlet passageway.

A rotatable unit in the form of a carrier 33 is vertically arranged and mounted in the housing and rotatable about a transverseaxis and constitutes the means for supporting a plurality of closure and-sealing members 34 that are in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the carton conveyor and are continuously moved in a circular path on a vertical plane while maintaining their positions in a horizontal plane for the purpose of engaging with the cartons, that are moving in a continuous flow through the carton feed inlet passageway, for closing and sealing the cartons and keeping the adhesive joints formed between the flaps and the adjacent upright walls of the carton in a tight and setting abutment therewith and conveying and releasing the cartons at the carton feed outlet passageway 28.

The carrier 33 is rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft 35 which is secured to at least one of the side walls 36 of the housing and situated to one side of the carton feed inlet passageway and is operated by suitable means that will hereinafter be more particularly described. The shape or form of the carrier 33 may be altered or changed in accordance to the particular requirements, but as herein described and illustrated, the carrier is in the configuration of a disc 37 having the fiat sides 38 and 39. v

The carrier has a plurality of transverse orifices extending therethrough and which are provided with the bearings 40 and through which the transverse shafts 41, that form the supports for the closure and sealing members 34, are journalled. The closure and sealing members are secured to the transverse shafts 41 and project laterally away from the fiat side 39 of the carrier so as to overhang and be alignment with the carton feed inlet passageway 27 or of the carton conveyor 29.

In order to maintain the closure and sealing members in parallel positions on a horizontal plane .as they are being moved in a rotating direction on a vertical plane, a sprocket and chain mechanism is utilized consisting of sprockets 42 secured to the transverse shafts 41 and fixed sprockets 43 secured to the fixed shaft 35, the sprockets being located exteriorly of the flat side 38 of the carrier 33. The sprockets 42 are connected to one another in pairs by the chain belts 44 and which also engage with the fixed sprockets 43, the chain belts maintaining their engaging positions with the sprockets 42 and 43 through engaging contact with the guide idler sprockets 45. The carrier 33 consists of a disc 37 having a groove or chanriel.46 formed around its periphery and which is engaged and driven by a chain belt 47 forming a part of the chain drive mechanism that is operated by a suitable source of power.

The closure and sealing members 34 are in the form ofcarton setting frames 48 that may be constructed in different ways to accomplish their purpose in engaging and gripping various styles, shapes and sizes of cartons that are to be closed and sealed. An acceptable type of carton setting frame may consist of an open framework having a rear plate 49 provided with an integral lug 50 having an orifice 51 which is engaged by one of the transverse shafts 41, that is journalled in one of the bearings 40 extending through the disc 37 and located in the approximate vicinity of the periphery of the disc. The rear plate 49 has the end rails 52 projecting laterally therefrom and which have their ends bent inwardly to form the side rails 53. From the end rails and side rails project downwardly the integral carton engaging fingers 54 having their lower portions flaring outwardly at 55 for permitting easier engagement with the carton walls and carton flaps. A pair of parallel forks 56 are integral with or otherwise secured to the side rails 53 of each of the carton setting frames 48 and project exteriorly therefrom and operate as guideways or supporting members for a sealed carton that is ejected from the carton setting frame to be delivered to the carton feed outlet passageway 28.

As the disc 37 is rotated on a vertical plane, the carton setting frames will revolve therewith and at the same time be activated and stabilized by the sprocket and chain mechanism to maintain their equilibrium as they revolve about a horizontal axis so as to be always in an approximately parallel plane to the carton feed inlet passageway or carton conveyor on which the cartons are pushed, pulled or carried therealong.

The carton setting frames 48 are carried along a circular path of travel by the disc 37 and as each carton setting frame reaches the lowermost arcuate portion of the circular path of travel, it will be brought into close proximity with the trackway 57, which is formed of spaced parallel tracks 58 for permitting the introduction of the adhesive applicator blades therebetween, and overlying the adhesive reservoir 31 and the adhesive applicator means 32 of the carton feed inlet passageway or carton conveyor. In the same continuous sweeping motion, the carton setting frame will swoop upon a carton, being moved along the trackway after it has been subjected to the application of adhesive, and envelop the same, folding the articulating flaps thereof downwardly for tight adhesive abutment with the upright walls of the carton, and ride and/or carry the carton through the apparatus, so as to maintain constant pressure to the adhesive portions of the carton to complete the closing and sealing of the carton, and then expelling the carton through the carton outlet passageway 28.

It will thus be seen that the closing and sealing of the cartons is all accomplished in one continuous and uninterrupted operation of the apparatus and carton eonveyor, and thereby eliminating the necessity of utilizing intermittent or other operating motions to delay the cartons from leaving the sealing apparatus in order to permit sufiicient time to lapse for the bonding operations to be completed, and avoid any slowing up of production throughout the line from the carton forming machine to the filling and closing means, and finally through the sealing means.

The cartons 59, that have been filled with the requisite contents and put through the carton closure and sealing apparatus for closing and sealing the same, may be removed, ejected or discharged from the apparatus in any suitable manner, and acceptable methods for accomplishing this purpose are shown in the accompanying drawings, such as by removing the sealed cartons from the apparatus in a lateral direction (FIGURES 1 and 16) or in a longitudinal direction (FIGURES 7, 17 and 18).

In the discharge of the sealed cartons in a lateral direction from the apparatus (FIGURE 1), an acceptable location for the carton outlet passageway 28 is arranged through an opening 60 formed in one of the side walls 61 of the housing 25 and situated in an upper portion thereof and adapted to receive a chute 62, which is detachably or fixedly secured to the housing 25. The specific shape and construction of the chute arrangement may vary in accordance to the requirements, but as shown (FIGURES 1, 8 and 9), it consists of an inclined flat carton discharge plate 63 merging inwardly into a tongue portion 64 of sufficient length and width for placement in the space formed between the guideways or forks 56 and in alignment with the opening 65 formed in each setting frame between its side rails 53. This inclined flat discharge plate 63 is detachably or otherwise secured to the housing 25 and is introduced in the opening 60 thereof and having its tongue portion 64 in alignment with the carton discharge opening 65 of each carton setting frame, as the latter is rotated in a vertical direction by its carrier 33, for engagement with the underside of the carton that is being ejected or discharged from the apparatus and permitting the carton to slide down the inclined flat plate 63 and taken away in any suitable manner.

In order to provide an additional period of time for the setting of the adhesive joints of the cartons, all that it is necessary to do is to allow the closed and sealed cartons to remain within the housing, without interrupting the continuous operation of the mechanisms for closing and sealing the cartons or in any way enlarging or changing the mechanisms, and this is achieved by having each of the carton setting frames capable of picking up the cartons from the trackway 57 while being continuously operated and carried by the carrier 33 in a vertical rotary motion around a circumferential path of travel, and storing such cartons in layers for setting and sealing purposes in the setting frames. In this way, a setting frame may contain two or more cartons, one on top of the other, and permitted to be carried for several or more revolutions of the carrier, thus giving the required additional period of time for the proper setting and sealing of the cartons. When it is time for the removal of the uppermost sealed carton contained in the setting frame, the next carton that is picked up from the trackway by the setting frame, will force the cartons, already in the frame, to be raised accordingly; consequently the uppermost carton in the frame will be lifted practically free from the frame and will be only supported by the next carton therebeneath located in the frame, thereby being placed in position for its ejection from the frame and its discharge from the apparatus, when it has been rotated in an aligning position with the carton outlet passageway 28 of the apparatus.

The means for ejecting the closed and sealed cartons from the apparatus may be arranged in several ways such as, in having a self-operating ejector 66 (FIGURE 8) which is formed of an arm 67 having one end pivotally secured at 68 to one of the side walls 61 of the housing 25 and projecting inwardly therefrom and terminating short of the carrier 33. The inner end portion of the arm 67 has the lateral ejector bar 69, integrally or otherwise secured thereto, and which is adapted to engage with and be supported by the top rear portion of a carton setting frame and movable therewith during the rotation of the carrier 33. In this way the ejector bar will engage with the uppermost and exposed sealed carton and expel the same through the opening in the housing side wall, which forms the carton outlet passageway 28. After the ejection of the topmost carton from one setting frame, the ejector will automatically drop, through gravity, downwardly for engagement with the next setting frame that is being brought into alignment with the aforesaid carton outlet passageway.

In FIGURE 16, another method of removing the sealed cartons from their respective carton setting frames and conveying them to the carton outlet passageway of the apparatus, in a lateral direction, is illustrated. In this form, the carton setting frames are each constructed for holding a single carton at a time for setting and sealing the same, and the ejecting means is located in the housing 25 and is in alignment with the carton outlet passageway thereof. The ejecting means consists of a trackway 70 provided with the parallel guides 71 which are adapted to extend through the openings formed in the setting frames and to be secured to the housing 25. Midway of 7 the trackway 70, extends the endless feeding chain 72 having the pusher bars 73 and which engage with the sprockets 74 secured or mounted to the transverse shafts 75, which in turn are secured or journalled to the parallel guides of the trackway 70.

The parallel guides 71 and the feeding chain with its accompanying pusher bars are so arranged that when each of the setting frames, carrying a carton that is being set and sealed, is on its downward swing during its vertical rotation, the bottom wall of the carton, that is being held in the setting frame, will be brought into engage ment with the parallel bars of the fixed trackway and the endless feeding chain, thereby disengaging the carton from the setting frame. The sealed carton is then conveyed by the pusher bars of the endless feeding chain to the carton outlet passageway of the apparatus, and from thence to an endless conveyor apron 76 or by other suitable means for transporting the filled, closed and sealed carton away.

In FIGURES 17 and 18 there is illustrated a means for ejecting the sealed carton from the apparatus in a longitudinal direction, and in which the carton feed outlet passageway is located at one end of the apparatus rather than at the side, and each of the carton setting frames is adapted to contain a plurality of cartons that are being set and sealed.

The ejection means is situated in the upper portion of the housing of the apparatus and is in alignment with the trackway of the carton conveyor 29 that is situated therebelow, and consists of an endless feed chain 77, provided with the transverse pusher bars 78, engaging with and operated by sprockets suitably driven and which are journalled or secured to shafts, which in turn are secured or journalled to the housing wall. This endless feed chain and sprocket mechanism extends along the side of the housing wall and is parallel with the flat side of the carrier 33, and is situated at a level of that portion of the carrier where the carton setting frames reach the height of their summit during their motion of rotation, and are in alignment with the carton feed outlet passageway. At that position, one of the transverse pusher bars 78 of the chain mechanism will engage with a rear wall of a sealed carton, that has already been practically disengaged from engagement with its setting frame from the forced pressure of the cartons therebeneath held in the setting frame, and eject the carton from its setting frame, as the latter continues downwardly in its revolutionary path of travel, and conveys the ejected carton to the feed outlet passageway.

In certain instances where the contents of the cartons that are to be set and sealed are heavier than usual, means may be provided for aiding the carton setting frames to clear the tracway after they have picked up their filled cartons and partially shoulder their loads until the setting frames are completely free from contact with the trackway. An acceptable way to accomplish this purpose (FIG- URE 13) is in having a guide supporting plate 79 arranged in an upright position and which is secured to the trackway, a housing wall or to any other suitable means, so long as the guide supporting plate is located adjacent to the trackway and is in alignment and parallel therewith and to the carrier 33.

The top edge 80 of the guide supporting plate 79 is arcuate in cross-section and forms a riser or take-off bearing surface 81 and which is adapted to be engaged by at least one guide wheel or bearing roller 82 that is journalled to an outer side rail, fork or gripping finger of the carton setting frame and arranged to be in alignment with the top edge 80, which forms a take-off guide track.

It will thus be seen that when a carton setting frame has picked up a filled carton from the trackway, the onward motion of the carton setting frame will cause its guide wheel to engage with the take-off track or top edge of the guide supporting plate which immediately aids in shouldering the load of the carton setting frame until the latter has completely cleared the trackway.

In certain instances, where a run of filled cartons is required to be put through the fiapped carton closure and sealing apparatus that are of a shorter length than the carton put through the apparatus in a previous run, each of the carton setting frames may be equipped with an adjustable crossbar 83 (FIGURE 14) having downwardly projecting carton engaging fingers 84 integral therewith and adapted to form an auxiliary movable end wall, which is adjustably and detachably secured to the setting frame and positioned from a predetermined distance from a fixed end wall that will coincide with the length of the filled cartons that are to be run through the apparatus, and to form the other end wall of the setting frame.

When it is required to close, set and seal the filled cartons having deeper or shallower depths than of those cartons that have been previously fed to the apparatus, the only adjustment that may be needed to accommodate for the variances in depths of the cartons is to readjust the height of the carton bed or floor 85 of the carton conveyor in such a Way that little or no adjustments are necessary to be made to the adhesive reservoir, the adhesive applicator or other component parts of the apparatus to compensate for the various differences in depth of the cartons that are to be closed, set and sealed as they are processed through the apparatus.

An acceptable means to accomplish this purpose is in having a carton conveyor floor adjusting unit consisting of a plurality of transverse rods 86 and 87 that are journalled to the side walls 88 and 89 of the carton conveyor and located below the conveyor floor 85 and which extend completely across the width thereof. A plurality of floor adjustment arms 90 are mounted and secured to the intermediate portion of the transverse rod 86 and have their upper end portions 91 secured to a crossbar 92 that is secured to the longitudinal flanges, side walls or other fixed parts 93 of the conveyor floor, the other lower end portions of the adjustment arms 90 terminating into integral counterweights 94.

A lever 95 is secured to one end of the transverse rod 86 that projects exteriorly of the side wall 89 and is adapted to be manually operated for turning the transverse rod 86 and oscillating the counterweighted floor adjustment arms 90 thereof for raising and lowering the conveyor floor against tension means 96 which is connected to the lugs 97 and 98 that are secured to the side walls 88 of the conveyor and the transverse rod 86, the operating lever 95 being locked into an immovable position when the desired height of the conveyor floor has been reached.

The brace arms 99 have their lower ends 100 journalled to the intermediate portion of the transverse rod 87 and their upper ends are journalled to the crossbar 101, which has its ends secured to the flanges, side walls or other fixed parts 93 of the conveyor floor 85. In this way any movement of the floor adjustment arms and their component parts will automatically be transmitted for simultaneous and corresponding movements to the brace arms 99 and their component parts for completing the predetermined height positioning of the conveyor floor.

'When the selected contents have been inserted into the cartons, as the cartons are being moved along the floor of the carton conveyor 29 by pusher elements 102 one at a time in succession to the carton closure and sealing apparatus, the hinged covers or lids 103 of the cartons are turned down to overlie the open tops of the cartons by suitable folding means that are attached to the conveyor.

An acceptable means for accomplishing this purpose (FIGURE 1) is in providing a folding unit formed of a folding bar 104 that has one end pivotally secured by means of a bracket :105 to the side wall 88 of the carton conveyor and which projects therefrom, at a predetermined angle and height, across the face of the conveyor floor 85, and has its other end suitably supported by means of the rod 106 which is mounted to one of the walls of the apparatus or to any other fixed supporting member.

The location of the folding unit is preferably situated adjacent to the adhesive reservoir 31 and the applicator means 32 which are emplaced next to or in the carton feed inlet passageway 27 of the carton conveyor 29, so that as each carton with its open top is conveyed to the folding unit, the rear surface or exterior side of the hinged cover 103 will engage with the folding bar 104, and as the carton is continued to be pushed forward the hinged cover thereof will be forced down until it has completely closed oif the top opening of the carton, and from thence the carton with its overlying hinged cover is moved onwards for its engagement with the adhesive application means.

Another acceptable means for folding the hinged covers of the cartons is shown in FIGURE 12, and in which the folding means consists of a fold or guide rod 107 that is located above the level of the conveyor floor 85 and extends therealong on a longitudinal plane therewith but at varying angles on vertical and lateral planes thereto, and has both of its ends anchored to one of the side walls 88 of the carton conveyor.

The fold or guide rod 107 projects upwardly from one end 108 that is anchored to the side wall 88 of the conveyor to a specified height where it is formed into a loop 109 and then continues in a downward oblique line away from the side wall 88, and in a longitudinal plane of direction to the conveyor floor, towards the Opposing side wall 89 of the conveyor, and having its line of declination deeper at its portion 110 which is adjacent to its loop 109 than to the remaining portion 111 that leads to the opposing side wall 89 and there it is bent inwardly in a lateral direction at 112 and terminates in its other end 113, which is anchored to the conveyor side wall 88.

As the open top cartons 59, with their hinged lids or covers 103 projecting upwardly therefrom at various angles, are fed along the conveyor floor towards the closure and sealing apparatus, the exterior sides of the lids or covers 103 will be brought into engagement contact with the loop 109 and the underside of the declinations and remaining portions of the guide rod 107 which will force the hinged covers or lids down to overlie the open tops of the cartons.

When the cartons have passed through the folding unit, they are conveyed to a suitable adhesive or glue applicator means and accompanying adhesive reservoir, where the adhesive is applied to the flaps of the carton, such as the flaps of its hinged cover, after which the cartons, as they are being moved along, are seized by the closure and sealing members of the rotatable carrier for setting the cartons until the cartons are completely sealed.

An acceptable type of an adhesive applicator means 32 is illustrated in FIGURE 11 and in which the applicator means includes an adhesive reservoir, pan or trough 31, and which may be supported by the carton conveyor frame or by the housing of the apparatus. In either instances, the adhesive reservoir 31 is situated in the carton feed inlet passageway 27 and in line with the end of the carton conveyor and located below the level of the conveyor floor 85.

The adhesive applicator is formed of the transverse shafts 114 and 115 that extend across the open face 116 of the adhesive reservoir 31 and are preferably situated above the height thereof, and have their ends journalled in the housing walls or the carton conveyor wall. These transverse shafts 114 and 115 are operated by a chain and sprocket mechanism 117, which in turn is connected with the mechanism for rotating the carrier and operating the carton conveyor.

The sleeves 118 and 119 are secured to the transverse shafts 114 and 115 and are rotatable therewith and 10 are each provided with sets of parallel applicator blades 120 and 121 having outer curved ends 122 and 123 and terminating into applicator tips 124 and 125, the sets of applicator blades being detachably or otherwise secured to the sleeves 118 and 119.

Duplicate sets of parallel applicator blades 126 and 127 are detachably or otherwise secured to offset arms 128 and 129, which in turn are secured to the transverse shafts 114 and and extend parallel therewith across the open face of the reservoir 31. These duplicate sets of parallel applicator blades are located on the opposite sides of the sleeves to those of the applicator blades and 121 and are arranged to be out of alignment therewith.

The parallel tracks 58 of the trackway 57 extend longitudinally over the open face 116 of the reservoir and therebeyond and are adapted to receive the cartons from the conveyor. The tracks 58 are formed with bends 130 intermediate of their lengths so as to bring an approximate half of their length portions 131 out of line with that of the other half of their length portions 132. This is for the purpose of permitting the staggered, arranged sets of applicator blades to enter between the spaced tracks 58, as they are rotated, and to project beyond the height of the tracks for engagement with the ejected cartons as they are ejected from the conveyor floor and propel them forwardly until they are gripped or seized by the closure and sealing members. Simultaneously as the applicator blades are moving the cartons along, their curved ends with the adhesive applicator tips apply the adhesive to the upper portions of the exterior surfaces of the end walls of the cartons and which are brought into contact surface with the adjacent flaps of the cartons, as the flaps are folded downwardly for tight abutment with the adhesive walls thereof, which is accomplished by the closure and sealing members as they seize or grip the cartons from the trackway. Alternately the adhesive could be applied to the flaps of the cartons for their adhesive engagement with the adjacent upright carton walls. In connection with applying adhesive to the longitudinal flap or flaps of the cartons by adhesive engagement with the longitudinal wall or walls of the cartons, this may be accomplished by utilizing an adhesive applicator rotatable wheel 133 which is mounted and secured to one of the transverse shafts, such as the shaft 114. In this way it will be noted that the applicator means not only propels the cartons along the trackway and applies adhesive to the necessary parts thereof to be joined together, but will prevent the coagulation of the adhesive substance contained in the adhesive reservoir through the agitation of the same by the penetration of the substance by the applicator blades during their rotary motion therethrough.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it is understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus having a carton feed inlet passageway and a carton feed outlet passageway, an adhesive reservoir and applicator located at said carton feed inlet passageway and adapted to apply adhesive to at least one flap of said carton, a vertically arranged rotatable unit which carries by sustaining and moving a plurality of closure and sealing members capable of engaging, closing, sealing andconveying cartons from said carton feed inlet passageway to said carton feed outlet passageway, and means for operating said rotatable unit.

2. A flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the closure and sealing members are journalled to said rotatable unit and project outwardly therefrom, said members adapted to be individually brought into alignment with said carton feed inlet passageway for engaging the cartons passing therethrough that have been subjected to the application of adhesive for completing the sealing and closure of the cartons and conveying them to the carton feed outlet passageway.

3. A flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that said closure and sealing members are carried by said rotatable unit in a circular path of travel and are maintained on a horizontal plane with respect to the path of travel on a rotary vertical plane of said rotatable unit, said closure and sealing members adapted to envelop the cartons as they are conveyed through the carton feed inlet passageway and to fold at least one flap of the carton for adhesive abutment with a carton wall and maintain contact abutment therewith for completing the closing and sealing of the carton and conveying and releasing the carton at the carton feed outlet passageway.

4. A flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus as 1 claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that said closure and sealing means are in the form of carton setting frames continuously moving in a circular path on a vertical plane while maintaining their positions on a horizontal plane, said carton setting frames adapted to pounce upon and engage with said cartons moving in a continuous flow through said carton feed inlet passageway for closing and sealing the cartons and keeping the adhesive joints formed between the flaps and adjacent upright walls of the cartons in tight and setting abutment therewith and conveying and releasing the cartons at the carton feed outlet passageway.

5. In a flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus, a housing having a carton feed inlet passageway and a carton feed outlet passageway, a carton conveyor connected to said feed inlet passageway and in continuous operation,

an adhesive reservoir and applicator located at said feed inlet passageway and adapted to apply adhesive to at least one portion of each carton as it enters into and through the carton feed inlet passageway, a carrier mounted in said housing and rotatable continuously about a transverse axis, a plurality of carton setting frames journalled to and rotating with said carrier and located in the proximity of the periphery of said carrier and maintaining parallel positions in a horizontal plane, said carton setting frames adapted to engage with each of said travelling adhesive treated cartons and to fold at least one flap thereof for tight adhesive abutment with an adjacent upright wall of a carton for completing the closing and sealing of the carton and to convey the same to the carton feed outlet passageway, and means for operating said carrier, said carton setting frames and said carton conveyor.

6. A flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized by the fact that a trackway extends through said housing and forms a continuation of said carton conveyor, and the cartons setting frames are each provided with downwardly projecting carton engaging fingers that are adapted to engage and grip the cartons ejected from the conveyor on to the trackway and remove the same therefrom for completing the closing and sealing of the cartons.

7. A flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized by the fact that each of the carton setting frames are of sufiicient depth for receiving and holding a plurality of cartons at a time for completing the closing and sealing of the same, and means for ejecting the uppermost carton from the setting frame and expelling the same through the carton feed outlet passageway.

8. A flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized by the fact that each of of the carton setting frames has a closed side'and an opclaimed in claim 5, characterized by the fact that an open face adhesive reservoir and applicator are located at the carton feed inlet passageway, said applicator consisting of parallel transverse shafts, suitably journalled and operated, extending across the face of said adhesive reservoir, sleeves secured to the transverse shafts and rotatable therewith, sets of parallel applicator blades secured to said sleeves and projecting outwardly therefrom and terminating into applicator tips, each set of adhesive blades emanating from one sleeve being out of longitudinal alignment to the set of adhesive blades that are secured to the adjacent sleeve, and a trackway consisting of a plurality of parallel tracks extending longitudinally over the face of said adhesive reservoir and situated above said transverse shafts and accompanying sleeves and formed with corresponding parallel bends located intermediate of their length for the accommodation of said sets of adhesive blades that are interjected therebetween as they are operated by said transverse shafts.

10. A flapped carton closure and sealing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterized by the fact that means are provided for adjusting the height of the carton supporting surface unit of the carton conveyor in accordance with the depth of the cartons that are being carried along said conveyor, and consisting of a plurality of transverse rods journalled to the conveyor side walls and situated beneath the carton supporting surface unit, one of said transverse rods having adjustment arms intermediately secured thereto and which have their upper portions connected to said carton supporting surface unit and their lower portions terminating into counterweights, the other of said transverse rods having brace arms secured thereto which in turn are secured to said carton supporting surface unit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,017,729 1/1962 Cheeley 5327 3,263,398 8/1966 Gobalet 53-376 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 53387 

